Transition Counseling Services

EDUCATION:

St. Bonaventure University – MEd in Counseling Psychology

   Licensed Mental Health Counselor – (LMHC) – NYS QHP

  Certified Clinical Trauma Professional

   Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor/Gambling Counselor – retired

   NYS OASAS Education and Training Provider #0531 – retired

   NYS Certified School Counselor

Certified by NYS Dept of Health, AIDS Institute, as trained for HIV/AIDS counseling
Trained in Child Abuse Identification – NYS

EXPERIENCE:

TRANSITION COUNSELING SERVICES – as Owner and Developer:

NYS OASAS Education and Training Provider – trainer for certification/renewal of CASAC, CPP, CPS; Gambling Treatment and Prevention.

  Counseling services with individuals/couples/ families and:

• school systems and businesses in trainings and education.
•  county probation, mental health and CPS departments.

       Expertise in:

• developing, streamlining and managing clinic programming to comply with OMH/OASAS/ADA regulations; experience with OMRDD policies/procedures.
• team building to expand services and empower staff.
  alcohol and chemical dependency; HIV/AIDS counseling.
• mental health: abuse issues, ACOA issues, family dynamics, grief counseling
• special issues of MR/DD and Autistic services.
• special issues of adolescence, co-dependency, and cultural dynamics.
• “drug treatment courts” within the legal system.
• sex offender treatment programming.

       Created/Developed: NYS OASAS Training for Gambling Treatment and Prevention – Online course: 30 Prevention hrs          + 60 Treatment hrs

TRANSITION COUNSELING SERVICES:  2014  Consultant for Seneca Nation of Indians.

Phase I/Initial Assessment services relating to the establishment of long-term transitional living units for adults/adolescents/mothers and children, leading to a plan presentation for the Seneca Nation Tribal Council. This presentation included, options for location; differences in the needs for each type of client to be served; models of facility operation – OASAS vs Nation funded; pros/cons of each model; general ideas of cost for construction/remodeling of building(s), staffing and ongoing facility success. This proposal was based on the Consultant’s:

1. Investigation of the specifics of Transitional Living facilities designed for recovering Native people as a step-down unit from rehab to home and society based on an informal needs assessment.
2. Analysis of the pros and cons of using existing buildings within the Nation for the facility and/or new build.
3. Analysis of the possibilities of co-ordination with NYS OASAS/IHS/and other funding sources.
4. Analysis of compliance issues between current BHU policies and procedures and Medicaid / Medicare / Federal standards.
5. Identification/outline of program components and desired outcomes.
6. Outlining necessary policies and procedures.

CURRENT:

UPMC WCA – 2019 – Behavior Therapist III – CURRENT

Provides independent clinical treatment services in a mental health program designed for  outpatient/partial hospitalization.

Counselor: Interim: Seneca Nation of Indians: LMHC in Seneca Nation Out-patient Behavioral Health Unit for counselor on medical leave.

Gowanda Correctional Facility

• Psychologist II for the Sex Offender Program for NYS DOCS.
• Directed treatment staff in therapeutic implementation of sex offender treatment program.
• Led Treatment Team in treatment reviews; supervised 2 Social Workers.
• Completed inmate STATIC-99 and other assessments.
• Evaluated treatment program progress and therapeutic integrity of the largest prison sex offender in the United States – Gowanda Correctional Facility.

Seneca Nation of Indians

• Addictions Program Manager for both the Cattaraugus and Allegany Human Services Addictions Program. Coordinated services – group, individual treatment and prevention as well as program development/educational training for staff; supervised staff of 10.
• Reviewed clinics policy and procedures; worked on project of developing inpatient substance abuse facility – building project and program development.
• developed group counseling program based on NYS OASAS and Drug Court standards for both clinics.
• Case Manager/Family Counselor for the Bridging Two Worlds Juvenile Justice program working with juveniles.
• Family Therapist as part of the Health Services team for the Seneca Nation of Indians; clients from age 4 to 67 worked with play therapy, chemical dependency, mental health issues and problems of late stage diabetes.
• worked with medical services in extending diabetes programming to meet requirements based on ADA guidelines; developed CQI assessment for program.
• updated D&A clinic policy and procedures manual to comply with NYS OASAS.
• developed and implemented anger management program; women’s program.

NYS DDSO

• Psychologist II at Article 16 Clinic worked with developmentally disabled adults.
• assessed individual treatment of consumers in Day Hab and IRA settings.
• evaluated MR/DD consumers for services; risk management; community mobility; developed behavioral plans according to OMRDD policies; trained staff to assist in the implementation of plans.

Jamestown Community College

–    Adjunct faculty in Psychology Department.

Chautauqua County Alcohol/Substance Abuse Clinic

• Senior Case Worker, performed intake assessment/case management/individual counseling; facilitated groups; developed adolescent & female-specific programming.

Tri-County Chemical Dependency Programs

• Outpatient Program Director, streamlined clinic set up; reorganized programming.
• initiated an expanded counseling base to include adolescent and family programming.

Lake Shore Health Care Unit

• Intake Coordinator, performed intake assessment on people presenting to the Psych ER Unit.
• coordinated services for patients admission to appropriate level of mental health care.
• generated input for comprehensive computer program / CQI assessment.

Cassadaga Job Corps

• Alcohol and Other Drugs of Abuse (AODA) Specialist, developed and implemented a drug/alcohol intervention program based on the Dept. of Labor guidelines for adolescent students in a residential educational/vocational setting.
• counseled individuals/groups of students referred to the program; case management.

Changing Seasons Treatment Center

• Chemical Dependency Counselor, administered intake/assessment in inpatient
• revised and presented lectures; revamped Family Programming – presented two hour program weekly based on simple art therapy as a means of expressing feelings.

Pine Valley School District

• Intern, through St. Bonaventure University, researched school district drug/alcohol curriculum for K-12.
• developed a survey study to be given to grades 7-12.

Gowanda Psychiatric Center

• Intern, worked in sub-acute geriatric unit – variety of experiences in critical care mental health; facilitated psychotherapy groups in absence of psychologists.

D Enterprises

• co-owner, managed 13 apartments; interview and screen prospective clients; maintained business accounts.

Copper Kettle Restaurant

• owner, developed and managed scratch deli/bakery/restaurant business; implemented all aspects of the business; recruited, hired and trained all personnel.

South Dayton Super Duper

• co-owner of the business; worked in every capacity of the business; coordinated all of the business accounts and bookkeeping.

Salvation Army Crisis Program/Amicae – Rape and Crisis Hotline

• volunteer for crisis hotline for 8 years; counseled clients on rape, child abuse, AIDS, crisis services.
• received training of over 50 hours on crisis counseling.
• trained new volunteers on specific aspects of drug/alcohol abuse as it applies to the crisis line.

Specialized Trainings Taken:

2-Day Certified Clinical Trauma Professional: Two-Day Trauma Competency Conference (Live Webinar) = 2022 

NYS DOCS/OMH Training for Sex Offender Programming – 60 hrs

NYS Civil Management Training – 18 hrs

NYS DCJS Dynamic Supervision of Sexual Offenders Training 

NYS DCJS Tools to Combat Crimes Against Children

NYS OMH/OASAS Train the Trainer – Co-Occurring Disorders 

NATI – Gambling Addiction Treatment & Aftercare Strategies 

NYS OASAS Pain and the Substance Abuser 

NYS OASAS Addictions Medications

NYS OASAS Traumatic Brain Injury and Chemical Dependency Connection 

STATIC 99 Training